This Week in Sacramento History Aug. 27-Sept. 2

Aug. 27, 1910: The new Sacramento River steamer Capital City is launched from the shipyards of Schultze, Roberson & Schultze in San Francisco. The Capital City, owned by the California Transportation Co., is 258 feet long and 52 feet wide. It will begin runs between Sacramento and San Francisco in September.

Quote: "Because some people want to strike ... and other people will not pay certain wages ... is absolutely no reason why these opposing forces should be allowed to fight it out ... to the detriment of ... the community." -- Bee editorial, calling for an arbitrated end to any labor strike that threatens the economic and civic well-being of a community

Aug. 28, 1979: ComputerLand, a computer store franchise, will observe the grand opening of its first Sacramento outlet on Howe Avenue to sell small computers. Although the average person may have little use for computers, their utility is growing, especially in the areas of education and personal finance.

Quote: "We took our family to the State Fair Aug. 22. Paid $1 for parking, $6 to get in, $7.75 for lunch (it was yuk), $4 on rides and $6 on the games, which netted a 25-cent piggy bank (how ironic). We came to a decision and voted today: foul. It definitely was not worth $24.75." -- "No Deposit, No Return," in a letter to the editor

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Aug. 29, 1940: The Sacramento County property tax rate will remain the same next year as this year: $1.36 per $100 valuation. But tax bills will be higher because of increases in special taxes going to libraries, schools, roads and other services. Taxpayers outside the city will see a two-cent hike, while city taxpayers will face a 10-cent increase.

Quote: "What has this man (Wendell) Willkie done that the people should think of him president in these trying times? No one ever heard of him until a few months ago." -- W.H. Lewis, expressing derision for the GOP presidential nominee, calling him a tool of Wall Street and predicting he wouldn't carry even one state in the election

Aug. 30, 1933: J.C. Kemp van Ee of the Mining Association of California predicts 5,000 new jobs in state mines now that President Franklin Roosevelt has lifted the embargo on the export of gold bullion. He also foresees the reopening of 400 inactive mines, as well as $5-7 million in increased earnings for the industry.

Quote: "The sales tax on necessities, especially food and clothing, is a crime. And it is a double crime because the governor would not sign the income tax bill, which would have placed a levy where it would hurt very little, namely upon the large incomes and salaries." -- G.W. Ahner, in a letter to the editor

Aug. 31, 1988: After years of freedom from financial constraints, the San Juan school trustees approve a $178 million budget that calls for cuts in a variety of programs. The 1988-89 budget takes in and spends $8 million more than last year, but much of that will go to hire teachers and open classrooms and buy books for the additional 900 students.

Quote: "Our economy depends on a steady and reliable supply of oil to fuel our industries, feed our population and run our transportation industries. We cannot afford ... to simply lock away our vast offshore resources in a blanket moratorium." -- Gov. George Deukmejian, vetoing a temporary ban on oil drilling off sections of the Northern California coast

Sept. 1, 1980: Saturday night, 10 prisoners squeezed through a 7-by-14-inch hole to freedom after sawing away two window bars with a smuggled hacksaw at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Facility in Elk Grove. The escapees were in prison for crimes that range from burglary to attempted murder.

Quote: "You'll see Electra (the remarkable electric girl) and the Sword Swallower, the Master Magician, the Girl on a Bed of Broken Glass! You'll see the Snake Charmer, the Fire Eater, the Man with the Iron Tongue! You'll see the Indian Rubber Girl and the Fat Lady!" -- Carnival sideshow barker, at the California State Fair

Sept. 2, 1877: The Sacramento City Trustees meet and take up several small matters, including two municipal contracts. C.H. Krebs will be paid $11.50 to paint the plaza fountain and P. Nash will paint street lamps at a rate of 15 cents per lamp and 25 cents per pole. The trustees give permission to George Farley and S.W. Higgins to maintain shooting galleries, provided each pays the required license fee.

Quote: "It's about time that property owners had commenced cutting down the weeds in front of their premises and on the streets, if they do not desire to have the city look like a country village during the State Fair." -- Bee editorial

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